Day: July 21, 2017

Who has never dreamed of a cruise in Indonesia ? It is a good way to discover amultitude of breathtaking paradise islands other than the famous island of Bali .The living conditions on the boat are certainly rudimentary but the show offered is well worth it. We suggest you in this article of our travel blog to follow us on a 4 days and 3 nights cruise from Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores to Labuan Lombok which is located to the east of the island of Lombok .

In this article, you can read our travel blogwith our tips, tricks and tips to succeed in this adventure without taking the lead. If you are traveling in the area, do not miss our stories and advice on the crossing of Flores but also the discovery of Bali and Lombok! Click on the following banner:

Which company to choose? What is the budget for such a cruise?And security?

It is directly from our arrival in Labuan Bajo in Flores that we went around the different agencies of the village likely to offer an affordable cruise between Flores and Lombok . They finally brought us back to the Kencana agency , which is the most famous, both in terms of security and personal. This is not really the case. You are told everything here about the reality of this cruise , certainly idyllic, but also very trying.

In reality, do not expect a luxury cruise . We find ourselves in a motor boat (noisy) of average size (4mx20m) which can accommodate to the maximum a good twenty people. We will only be a dozen. Phew!

And yes, in the Flores-Lombok sense, you are likely to be fewer. Since Lombok, the boats are indeed often full and it is good to know that there is no cabin on the boat . We sleep on deck, on mattresses not very thick, which is still protected from the possible weather, you are reassured. If, like us, you are lucky enough to find yourself in a boat where you are few in number, consider taking a second mattress to make it more comfortable. You will not regret it 😉On the crew side, there are 1 experienced captain and 4 crew members who do not speak Englishor really very very little for just one of them. It is not obvious therefore to know truly during the journey where the boat goes and in how long.

The budget for such a cruise per person for 4 days / 3 nights is 1,750,000 Rp ie approximately 110 euros . Please note that the minivan transfer from Labuan Lombok to Senggigi on the other side of Lombok is included. Meals are also included but very simple . We only eat rice and tofu and drink only water for 4 days. We get tired very quickly and know that you will have nothing else. We advise you to planpackages of cakes, cereal bars, coca and beers for aficionados. A cooler (no fridge) will hold your drinks the first few days in the cool.

The snorkeling equipment ie the fins, masks and snorkels are provided but not always in good condition. If you can, take your own equipment. Side life vests, do not be too looking because there is not for everyone. The toilets are limited to a hole (Turkish toilets) in a cabin that is near the space where the crew prepares to eat, and where they also sleep, close to the engine! And as it pitch a lot, we give you the details. There is no bathroom, no shower or even a sink. We wash our teeth overboard with bottle water.

Side snorkeling, the boat tends to throw ink a few minutes or hours to about 200 meters of islets and islands to visit. Obviously, this presupposes that you know how toswim properly . During our cruise, no diver and swimmer supervision was provided . One can end up confronting strong currents. So be very careful and listen to any experienced swimmers on the boat before throwing yourself into the water. This will save you some cold sweats. A paradise island of a few meters is very attractive.We jump into the water and we think we will reach paradise in 30 seconds. This can turn into a nightmare when you start to swim against a current too strong. Yes yes it feels the experience. And do not do as us, systematically take palms to limit the risks.

Most travelers organize this cruise from Lombok to Flores . That’s another option.The cruise lasts 4 days and 4 nights under the same conditions and for the same price. We advise you, like us, to do it the other way. Just join Labuan Bajo to Flores by plane (domestic flight) from Bali for example and then return to Lombok then Bali via this cruise. You will be more relaxed on the boat, which is not a luxury seen the rather crude conditions of the cruise.

Please note that there is a 2 days and 1 night package on an identical boat from Flores and always in direction of Lombok. On the other hand the price will not be the same and the breaks almost non-existent. Something crazy